Using Sparse Columns and Sparse Column Sets

Using Sparse Columns with SELECT ... INTO

NULL-Friendly: Using Sparse Columns and Column Sets in SQL Server

Sparse columns and column sets in SQL Server 2012 provide a way of accomodating the less-structured data that has always proved to be tricky for the relational model. They can be used very effectively where the attributes are sparse for any given entity and very numerous across all entities. Seth Delconte shows how to use them.